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frontier that divides Devon from both Dorset and Somerset. A 

 St. Pancras, east of the mouth of the Axe, has been already 

 named. There is also a. St. Paul (St. Pol) at Church Staunton, 

 and a St. David at Culme David, both in the valley of the Culm 

 behind the Black-Down Hills ; and north of Honiton is a hill 

 called "St. Gyres," but with no remaining chapel. North Devon 

 and West Somerset, or the Exmoor district, led up to by this chain, 

 needs no consideration here. The multitude of St. Michael's in 

 Wales has been already noticed. It is equally frequent in the 

 English western counties, but those that are in Dorset are most 

 crowded in the southern district, and the same increased 

 frequency extends into the adjoining district of Devon, between 

 the Axe and Exe.* 



Reverting to the Code ; the existence of such small outlying 

 Welsh populations, as we have been considering above, had 

 never yet been vividly contemplated ; and interpreters of such 

 questions as that presented by the Code of the Dunssete have 

 been therefore narrowed, in their field of enquiry, to the two 

 greater race divisions that are historically recorded, and that 

 are more obviously still living beside us : Welshmen and Cornish- 

 men ; whose existence even the most zealous exterminationists 

 have not yet been so bold as to deny. To those, therefore, who 

 have hitherto considered this monument, and who had rejected it 

 for the Defnanian or Damnonian tribes, there was no choice but 

 the Cambrian or Silurian ones. A neighbouring people, called the 

 " Wentssete," is mentioned in the Code, as if only lately annexed 

 by the West Saxons; of whom it is said : " Somewhile the 



*Mr. J. .B. Davidson (Trans. Devonsh. Assoc., 1877) has pointed out the 

 remarkable prevalence of "-minster," as a constituent of place-names, such 

 as " Axminster," over a certain continuous area of South Somerset, West 

 Dorset, and East Devon. This he attributes to King Ina; but that is most 

 likely about 150 years too soon. But it strongly indicates a simultaneous 

 Saxonization. It fringes the district under our consideration, and is 

 included in what King Alfred still called the " Welsh-kin." Two of them, 

 " Stureminster " and " Exanmyuster," were bequeathed by Alfred to his 

 younger son, Edward the Elder. Sturminster is believed to be the same 



Ce which Asser had formerly called " Leonaford," i.e., Alaunaford, the 

 on the Stour or Alauna ; where was the royal house in which Asser 

 spent eight months in reading with Alfred. No doubt these " -minsters " 

 commemorate foundations by Alfred, and that it was after his memorable 

 hospitality to Asser that he founded Stour-Minster at Leonaford. 



